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County Axes Property Manager Position

By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: October 8, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - Another mid-management position has fallen under the county's department streamlining ax.
Only this one — the property management job — has an added twist to it because the former coordinator of that department had been seeking to get his job back after being fired in August for alleged sexual comments to two different women.
Interim Human Resources Director Jerry Haines informed Michael Silvey via a letter last week that the grievance he had filed is no longer valid because his former position was no longer being funded.
"During your absence from the property management coordinator position, your duties were assigned to other employees," Haines wrote. "We have found that in today's economic environment a reduction in the budget was appropriate."
Under the county's personnel policy, grievances about budget appropriations are not allowable, so Silvey's request to hear his grievance was denied.
County Commissioner Diane Rowden said the elimination of Silvey's position is another example of County Administrator David Hamilton's department streamlining initiative.
Hamilton's mantra since being hired this year has been "Fewer Managers, Better Management," and it's one that Rowden and other county commissioners embrace.
Silvey's position will not be the last one to be cut, she said.
Hamilton is expected to present a more detailed department management restructuring plan at an upcoming county commission meeting.
Silvey, 58, had been the county's property management coordinator for the last two years.
Hamilton fired Silvey in August for violating the county's harassment and discrimination policy after alleged sexual comments to a female employee in the county's HR department and to a female employee at the Southwest Florida Water Management District, where Silvey used to work.
Hernando County has a "no tolerance" policy regarding the violation of the harassment policy.
Silvey, who made $53,622 annually, had filed a grievance to get his job back. But that grievance now becomes moot.